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Start communicating by recalling a shared experience with them. Connect to them in a warm way, send a note, ask them out for coffee. Be genuine. Call them up and check on them. Find people you can connect your network with and help them. They will return the favor. Most importantly, "build the connection first, do business later." — Dr. Cherry Collier, Personality Matters, INC.

2. Use a Custom Invitation Via LinkedIn

LinkedIn is one of the best professional networking platforms available. Update your profile and start reaching out to former colleagues using a custom invitation. It's a great way to reconnect, get in touch, and stay in touch without the need to offer any apologies for why you've been missing-in-action. — Jackie Nagel, Synnovatia

3. Approach Friends First

If you wait to reconnect with your network because you need something, people will know. Sugarcoating it makes it worse. Begin by approaching friends with whom you can be transparent. Enlist them for help, guidance and contacts. Branch out from there. Most importantly, nurture your network from now on. There is a deep connection between career success and the strength of our relationships. — Kim Eisenberg, Kim Eisenberg Consulting

Find natural touch points to reconnect, like the holidays, a birthday or a work anniversary. Reconnecting at these times makes your message less likely to "stick out like a sore thumb" and can be the catalyst for rebooting the relationship. — Barbara Safani, Career Solvers

5. Be Honest

I find when I am approached by someone in this situation, I appreciate an honest expression of their feelings, possibly their regret at having lost touch and honesty about why they are reaching out. When someone contacts me with a story about how they had been thinking about me or missing me and then later mention that they are on the job market, I find I am less likely to help. — Bill Gardner, Noetic Outcomes Consulting, LLC

6. Think of a Common Element That Can Bring You Back Together

Whether it's a holiday or a birthday greeting, sending out a warm-filled and genuine "hello" can prove to have added benefits. It rekindles old business and professional relationships, and this can enable you to casually point out that you are job searching. Ask to meet for lunch or coffee to reconnect and share your current situation with openness and honesty. — Wendi Weiner, JD, NCRW, CPRW, CCM, The Writing Guru

7. Start Small

The key factor is to actually start. Select five people with whom you'd feel the most comfortable and reach out to them first. Any project or goal is best reached by starting small. It's important to remember that each person responds differently to media. Some people prefer email; others prefer a phone call. Ensure you follow up using different channels/methods. The key is to continue to follow up. — Cha Tekeli, Chalamode, Inc.

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